Plastic surgery is often confused with cosmetic surgery. While it is common for a lot of people to use both the terms interchangeably, it’s not correct. Cosmetic surgeries are focused on enhancing a person’s appearance. On the other hand, plastic surgery is done to reconstruct any body or facial defects, which can be caused by health conditions or injuries.

Recommended plastic surgeries for specific health conditions
Now that you know the difference between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery. Here’s looking at some common  plastic surgeries for specific health  conditions that everyone should be aware of.

Facial paralysis surgery
Damage to the nerves caused due to trauma or health conditions such as Bell’s palsy can affect the ability of the face muscles to move properly. This facial paralysis can affect the speech, blinking of the eyes, swallowing abilities, and even the smile. If the condition does not get cured in some time, surgery can be needed. These surgical procedures focus on restoring the movement of the lower portion of the face. During the procedure, the facial nerves, tendons, and muscles are moved to the face from other parts of the body.

Hand plastic surgery
Various types of hand surgeries are done to restore the lost functionality of the hand and fingers. These procedures are some of the most common plastic surgeries for specific health conditions. These are required by patients:

• Who have suffered hand injuries
• Who are suffering from diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis; these diseases can affect and damage the structure of the hands
• Who have birth defects affecting their hands
• Who have hand infections

Based on the underlying health problem, various surgeries can be done. These include the following:

• Skin grafts
• Skin flaps
• Tendon repair
• Nerve repair
• Fasciotomy

Reconstructive plastic surgery
This type of plastic surgery is used as a treatment for abnormalities in the body or face caused by an injury, birth defects, conditions, or aging. The procedure focuses on improving or restoring the lost functionality of the body. However, in some cases, this procedure can also be used as cosmetic surgery to enhance a person’s appearance. The abnormalities in the body can be caused due to various reasons. Some of the common ones include:

• An infection
• An injury
• Birth defects
• Tumor
• Health conditions
• Developmental problems

Usually, two kinds of people can get reconstructive plastic surgery. These include:

• Patients suffering from any birth defects such as hand deformities, cleft lip, or craniofacial anomalies
• Patients with any kind of deformities caused due to aging, disease, infection, or accident

Certain risks and complications can occur due to reconstructive plastic surgery. These include:

• Excessive bleeding
• Infection
• Some bruising
• Problems with the healing of the wound